Seal.



E. J. BROOKS.

SEAL. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1910.

982,122, Patented Jan. 17,1911.

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.Attorney 1m: NanRls Flrsns cr, vusumcrofv. o, c4

tin` rrr s i EDWARD J. BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 17, 1911.

Application filed November 3, 1910. Serial No. 590,516.

ful Improvement in Seals,'of which the following is a specification.

In a previous specification forming part of United States Letters PatentNo. 961,931, dated June 21, 1910, I have set forth an improvement incording seals characterized by a seal part made of nearly rigid sheetmetal and constructed with substantially parallel lips arranged atopposite sides of an open front, and a second pair of lips substantiallyat right angles to those firstnamed; the lips first named being adapted'to be coiled around the-respective ends of the cord by the action of asuitable seal press. A

T he present invent-ion relates primarily to seal-press fastened orpress-fastenable car seals having sheet metal shackles; and its leadingobjects are to render all such seal parts more secure against beingtampered with, and to adapt such car seals having sheet-metal shacklesto'be constructed on the same principle in part as the cording seals setforth in said previous specification.

Other objects will be set forth in the general description whichfollows.

The present invention consists in a seal part for press-fastenable sealsembodying a certain novel feature of construction hereinafterparticularly described and claimed; and in the combination of such sealpart with an interacting shackle member, and especially with asheet-metal shackle constructed to interlock with both pairs of theseal-part lips, as hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Figures 1 and Z are respectively face and structed to interactwith saidseal part; Fig. 3 a face view of a sheet-metal shackle constructed tointeract with said seal part; Fig. t is a face view of the seal partshowing one end of the shackle superposed as in the act of assemblingthe parts of each seal at the factory; Fig. 5 represents a face view ofthe seal as it leaves the factory; Fig. 6 is a magnified section on theline A-B, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 represents a face view of the press-fastenedseal; Figs. 8 and 9 are magnified sections on the lines C-D and E-F,Fig. 7, respectively; and Fig. 10 represents a view of thepress-fastened seal showing its lettered side or back.

Like l reference characters refer to like parts in all the figures.

The improved seal part, a, is originally cup-shaped and stamped in onepiece from suitable sheet-metal, and is constructed with substantiallyparallel prongs or lips, 1 and 2, at opposite sides of its open face,and with another pair of such prongs or lips, 3 and 4, substantially atright angles to the pair first named and separated by deep notchestherefrom; the former, said lips 1 and 2, being constructed withinturned front extremities, 5, Fig. 6, and all said lips being adaptedto be curled into the interior of the seal part at the press-fasteningoperation; substantially as set forth in said previous specification.

The improved seal part is characterized by a central lip guard, 6, inthe form of a hollow protuberance or projection struck up from the back,7, of the seal part at the stamping operation, by which it is originallyproduced.

Any required lettering may be arrangedA around the counterpartdepression in the back of the seal part a, by the same or a subsequentstamping` operation, as represented by X. Y. Z. railway in Fig. 10.

The sheet-metal shackle, Z), is or may be of relatively thin tin (tinplate) or the like, and is constructed at each of its ends, 1 and 2',with a pair of small transverse slots, 3 'and 11, arranged andproportioned for the protrusion therethrough of the secondary lips 3 andl of the seal part c, and with a large rectangular lip admitting hole,8, between said slots. The shackle is also conveniently stamped with anend guard, 9, at each of its ends 1l and 2, to insure the detection ofany attempt to restore the appearance of a violatedvsealnby cutting theshackle and forming a new fastening end thereon. Also with any requiredmarks or lettering such as a consecutive number, a station number or thelike, as represented by .1243224, arranged Vto appear in properjuxtaposition with reference to the letteringon the back ofthe seal parta, as represented in Fig. 10.

To specially adapt the seal part a to interact or combine with asheet-metal shackle I) of above description, the secondary lips 3 and aare left straight at the stamping operation, and perpendicular to theback 7 of the seal part; and the inner ends of the notches whichseparate the two pairs of lips 1-2 and 3 4, are made square as shown inFigs. 2, etc.; while the side lips 1 and 2 are preferably inturned at 5more curvedly than heretofore. See Fig. 6.

In assembling the parts at the factory the lettered end 1l of a fiatshackle b is preliminarily united with one of the seal parts a bytilting the shackle as represented in Fig. t; inserting its lower edgebeneath the inturned end 5 of one of the side lips 1 and 2, and engagingits slot 3 and 4: with the secondary lips 3 and 4 respectively; andthen, by means of the fingers, pressing the shackle end 1 flatwise intoposition, asrepresented in Figs. 5 and 6. The parts lit each othertightly enough to prevent accidental separation when thus put together;and the juxtaposition of the lettering on the seal part and shackle isinsured. After passing the free end 2 of the shackle l) through a pairof car-door staples or their equivalent, it is inserted and temporarilyheld in place in the seal part a in the same manner. A suitable sealpress is then applied, land the lips 1 2 and 3.-.4 are curled into theinterior of the seal part at the sides of the lip guard 6, through theshackle holes 8, and pressed tight and into effective con-tact with thelip guard, as represented in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. n so pressing the sealpart a the shape of the lip guard 6 may be modified, as indicated inFigs. 8 and 9, compared with Fig. .6; and it will be understood that theoriginal and nal shape of the lip guard may vary in seals of differentmakes.

The relation of the lip guard 6 to the lips 12 and fil in the fastenedseal, Figs. 7-10, is such that the edges of the lips are protected orrendered inaccessible, so as to prevent or obstruct the insertion ofprying means behind the lips in attempts to tamper with the seal, andthus to prevent unbending the lips to unf-asten the shackle without so.defaeing the lips as to insure detection.

The round shape of the seal part in face view is preferred, but mayobviously be departed from; and other like modications will suggestthemselves-to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement,

I claim as my invention, and desire to patent under this specification:

1. An open-faced hollow seal part for a press-fastenable sealconstructed with lips opposite each other adapted to be curled into theinterior of the seal part by a seal press, and a central lip guard,integral with the back of the seal part, projecting between eea, 12e

said lips, and adapted to protect the same against being tampered with.

2. The combination, in a press-fastenable seal, of an open-faced hollowseal part of Sheet-metal constructed with lips opposite .Bild1 otheradapted to be curled into the interior of the seal part by a seal press,and a central lip guard in the form of a hollow protuberance on the backof the seal part projecting between said lips, and a shackle member theends of which are adapted to lloc interlocked with said seal part bysaid ips.

3. An improved press-fastenable seal having, in combination, acup-shaped sheetmetal seal part constructed with lips opposite eachother adapted to be curled into the interior of the seal part by a sealpress and a central lip guard in the form of a hollowl protuberance onthe back of the seal part projecting between said lips, and a sheetmetalshackle having a hole in each end adapted `to admit said lips at thepress-.fastening operation.

4. An i-inproved press-fastenable seal having, in combination, acup-shaped sheetmetal seal part constructed with a pair of side lipshaving inturned .extremities and a pair of secondary lips substantiallyat right angles to said side lips and separated therefrom by notcheshaving square inner ends, said lips being adapted to be curled into theinterior of the seal part by a seal press, and a sheet-metal'shacklehaving each end constructed with a pair of transverse slots fitted tosaid secondary lips and a hole adapted to admit all said lips at thepress-fastening operation.

5. An improved press-fastenable seal having, in combination, acup-shaped sheetmetal seal part constructed with a pair of side lips,a'pair of secondary lips substantially at right angles to said side lipsand a .central lip guard in the form of a hollow protuberance on theback of the seal part projecting between said lips, said lips beingadapted to be curled into the interior of the seal part by a seal press,and a sheet-metal shackle having each end constructed with a pair oftransverse slots tted to said secondary lips and a hole adapted to admitall said lips at the press-fastening oaeration, substantially ashereinbefore speci ed.

EDVARD J. BROOKS.

lVitnesses MONTGOMERY LINDSAY, FLORENCE E. MATTHEWS.

